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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Ms. Jacqueline Shaw--English Department--7th Grade Honors Research Paper



 
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         Where was Charles Dickens Coming From?
      The 7th Grade Honors Research Paper
Fred from A Christmas Carol is hosting a Victorian New Year’s Day Party, and you’re invited!
By accepting this invitation, you must be prepared to leave behind the 21st Century skinny jeans, technology, music, and fast food. Attending a party during this time period was very different from today. Prepare yourself well! The more knowledge you have, the more fun you'll have at the party.
To prepare for the party, you will become an expert in one aspect of Victorian life (remember, that’s 1850-1901). You will take what you have learned throughout the month and write a 3-5 page research paper on your topic. We will celebrate the completion of this project with a good old-fashioned Victorian Parlor Party.
Your task is as follows:
  1. Pick from a very broad category of topics pertaining to the Victorian Era. The following is a list of some topics. If something else interests you, just run it by me for approval!
    1. Poverty  
    2. Medicine / Diseases
    3. Fashion
    4. Famous individuals
    5. Workhouses
    6. Industrial Revolution
    7. Victorian Etiquette (what were good manners back then?)
    8. Childhood 
    9. Hobbies
    10. Inventions
    11. Music
    12. Food
    13. Sports
    14. Crime and Law  

  1. Come up with 3 research questions about the topic you choose. In other words, what do you want to know about that topic?
  2. Research those specific questions. We will be in the library for three days. You should find at least 6 good sources. Only one of these may be a traditional encyclopedia, like World Book or Encyclopedia Britannica, and can be in print or on the computer. Please make sure you have a variety of sources, such as books, videos, encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, reputable websites, et cetera.
  3. As you research, write note cards for your paper. You will need to have 20 note cards on Noodletools. You should also create a works cited page on Noodletools, listing everything you’re using as research. This must be completed by Monday, January 13th. Your note cards and works cited will count as a quiz grade.
  4. Together, we will be organizing your thoughts in an MLA-style outline on Noodletools. This must be done by Friday, January 17th.  Your outline will count as a quiz grade.
  5. Turn your outline into a rough copy of your paper. This will be due in class on Thursday, January 23rd. Your rough copy will count as a homework grade. 
  6. Write your final copy of your paper, due Tuesday, January 28th. The paper should be typed, double-spaced, size 12 font, Times New Roman. Your final research paper will count as a third quarter major assignment grade.     

A note on absences / lateness to school the day the paper is due

You have been told well in advance when the paper is due. Even if you are absent, you MUST have someone trustworthy deliver the paper on that day. If you are late to school and miss my class, you must make sure I get the paper that day. If you are planning on leaving school early the day the paper is due, you must give me the paper before you leave. If a dire emergency leaves you unable to complete the paper or deliver it to me the day it’s due, you must include a handwritten note from home explaining the reason for its lateness.  

A reminder on the 7th grade English lateness policy

If the research paper is late, you will lose ten points for each day it’s late, up to three days. Your parent or guardian will be contacted if you fail to hand it in by Thursday, January 30th. If the paper is not in by Monday, February 3rd, it is a flat 65 if it is handed in. If the paper is never handed in, it’s a zero.

A note on plagiarism 

Plagiarism is essentially “idea-stealing”. It is taking credit for information that is not your own original idea. While research is all about getting information from other sources, you avoid plagiarism by giving credit to the source of information. There are two ways to do this:

·         Directly quote the author. Use quotation marks around his/her own words, and mention whose words these are.

·         Put the information in your own words. You still must give credit to the author for the information! Use parenthetical (in-text) citations to do this. 

Plagiarism is taken very seriously in our school, and we will spend more time in this unit learning how to avoid plagiarizing a paper. If part or all of your research paper is plagiarized, the dean and your parent / guardian must be notified. You will be required to redo the assignment, and a 65 would be the highest grade obtainable. Save yourself the trouble— showcase your own unique ideas, and give credit where credit is due! J  
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